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EndNote: Adding References

Three ways to add references to an EndNote library

Manual entry
Directly from a database => PsycINFO, PubMed, Academic Search Premier, Google Scholar, etc.
Via PDFs => Drag & Drop a PDF onto EndNote to create an EndNote record

Manual entry

screen capture of Endnote 2025 quick tool icons with box drawn around "Add New Reference" Icon.

  1. Click Clipboard symbol and form should open.
    • Alternatively, click References (screen top) and select New References.
  2. Select the Reference Type from the pull-down menu (e.g., Journal Article, Book, Conference Proceeding).
  3. Fill in the fields such as author, year, title, etc. For multiple authors, press Enter after each author. For corporate authors, enter the name followed by a comma (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency,).
  4. Use the Tab key, or cursor, to move from one field to the next.
  5. When done entering data into fields, close the reference by clicking the x button (screen top right). Yes, you close to save.

Direct export -- From a database

Most databases allow references to be exported directly into EndNote. If the references look funny in your EndNote library (e.g., the author, year, pages, etc. are in the wrong place) then the import filter(s) in your EndNote program is probably the problem. Auburn University students, faculty, and staff can download the newest import filters via the Filters for AU tab in this guide.

 

EBSCO Databases

Academic Search Premier, Alt HealthWatch, America: History & Life, Art & Architecture Complete, Avery Index, Business Source Premier, CINAHL, Communication Source, Econlit, Education Research Complete, ERIC, Historical Abstracts, LISA, Mental Measurements Yearbook, Middle Search Plus, Military & Government Collection, MLA International Bibliography, Music Index, Philosopher's Index, Professional Development Collection, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, Regional Business News, SPORTDiscus, Textile Technology Index, and Vocational and Career Collection. 

  1. Select references with the Add to folder button (to the right of each reference).
  2. Click the Folder link (screen top, in the right column).
  3. Click Export.
  4. Select Direct Export in RIS Format (e.g., CITAVI, EasyBib, EndNote, ProCite, Reference Manager, Zotero).
  5. Click Save. A file with an RIS extension will download.
  6. Open file and references should import in EndNote Desktop.

 

OVID Databases 

Agricola, CAB Abstracts, ERIC, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and MEDLINE

  1. Mark the references you want.
  2. Click on the Export icon (page top).
  3. Choose EndNote from the Format pull-down menu.
  4. Choose the radio button for Complete Reference under Fields.
  5. Click on the Export button.   
  6. You may need to allow your browser to download the file first.

 

ProQuest Databases 

ABI/Inform, ASFA: Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts, ERIC, Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts, LISA, PILOTS, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, TOXLINE, and Worldwide Political Science Abstracts

  1. Mark the references you want.
  2. Click on All save options and select RIS (EndNote, Citavi, etc.).
  3. Scroll down and click on Continue.
  4. Choose Open. You may need to allow your browser to download the file first.

 

Engineering Village 

  1. Mark the references you want.
  2. Click the Download this record icon (top of page). Click on the icon for Download selections.
  3. Under Format, select EndNote (RIS, Ref Manager).
  4. Under Output select Detailed Record and the Download records(s).

 

Google Scholar 

  1. To make links for EndNote display in Google Scholar, you first need to change your Scholar Settings (on the homepage for Google Scholar). Under Bibliography Manager select Show links to import citations into and choose EndNote instead of BibTeX. Save your preferences.
  2. Search Google Scholar. 
  3. Click on QUOTE symbols. Pop-up should include option to download file to EndNote. Click EndNote option.

 

IEEE Xplore 

  1. Select the references you want.
  2. Click on the Export link (top of page) and choose the Citations tab.
  3. Choose the radio buttons for Citation & Abstract and RIS.
  4. Click on the Export button.

 

JSTOR 

  1. Select the reference you want.
  2. Click on Cite this item.
  3. Under Export Citations choose Export a RIS file (for EndNote, ProCite, Reference Manager, RefWorks, Zotero, ...).
  4. Click on the Download button. If asked, click Open.

 

PubMed

  1. Select the references you want.
  2. Under Send to choose Citation manager, click on Create File and then Open with EndNote (may need to browse for the EndNote program).
  3. If requested to choose an import filter, select PubMed (NLM).

 

SciFinder – Direct Export only works in Firefox!!! 

  1. Select the references you want.
  2. Click on the Export link (upper right on taskbar).
  3. Under Citation Manger choose Citation export format (*.ris). Click on Export.
  4. Open with EndNote (may need to browse for the EndNote program).

 

Web of Science, Biological Abstracts, and Zoological Abstracts 

  1. Mark the references you want.
  2. Click on the Export ... icon and choose EndNote desktop.
  3. Under Export Records choose Full Record and click on Export.

 

WorldCat 

  1. Mark the references you want.
  2. Click the Export button (page top left).
  3. Choose Marked records from this search.
  4. Under Export to choose EndNote and then click on Export.

 

Via PDFs

This method relies on the publisher having embedded the article’s DOI in the PDF and on the metadata that is associated with the DOI at CrossRef. This method works extremely well for many PDFs, especially those created in the last 10 years. It may become your preferred method to add PDFs to EndNote records (The other good method for attaching PDF is Find Full Text).

There are three ways to add an EndNote record via PDFs

Option A:  Drag and Drop -- Simply drag a PDF onto the Reference panel (where the tabs for Preview and PDFs are located). This creates an EndNote record for the PDF and attaches a copy of the PDF to it.

Option B: Importing a “PDF Folder”

    1. Create a folder and place one, or more, PDFs in it.
    2. From EndNote --> File à Import --> Folder à select the folder created in Step 1 --> Import
    3. EndNote creates a record for each PDF and attaches a copy of the PDF to the record.

Option C: Automatically importing a “PDF Folder”

    1. This is an automated variant of Option B. First, create a folder. Next, edit your PDF Handling preferences --> Edit --> Preferences -->  PDF Handling. Check the box called Enable automatic importing. Use the Browse button to select the folder you created.
    2. Now you can download PDFs into your “PDF folder”. The next time you open an EndNote Library, the PDFs in this “PDF folder” will be automatically added to that EndNote library. Once a PDF in your “PDF folder” has been added to an EndNote library, it is placed in a sub‑file called Imported – it will not be added to another EndNote library (unless you move it back into the active space of your “PDF folder”.

Best case: You end up with an EndNote record with as much information as is contained in a database (full reference details, abstract, keywords, etc.) with a PDF attached to it.

Worst case: You end up with an empty EndNote record with a PDF attached to it. When this happens, try Find Reference Updates. Another solution is to add a record from PubMed, or another database, to your EndNote Library and click on Find Full Text. This may fail if the DOI for the article is not present in the record or if we do not have access to the PDF (i.e., a subscription or open access).